Rating of Vertex Impress smartphones

Vertex headquarters is located in St. Petersburg. The total number of employees does not exceed 100 people. The company belongs to the B-brand, that is, to a secondary manufacturer, and in conditions of a difficult financial situation, crises and serious competition, it manages not only to survive, but also to feel quite comfortable.

The secret is that Vertex management adheres to two concepts when creating it - each smartphone should have its own feature and look decent. Vertex Impress smartphones are one of the few cheap gadgets that are really not embarrassing to take out of your pocket in public. Another important feature that is not common to many budget companies is high quality. Studies show that the Vertex defect rate is only 2% and this is an extremely low figure. This quality was achieved through three stages of quality control.

Features of Vertex smartphones

Instead of developing models independently, the company is adapting devices produced in China for the CIS market. This applies to:

partial or complete change of firmware;
registering a phone for sale in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other countries;
concluding an agreement with Google for the use of branded services and payment systems.

Considering the entry price range, the best Vertex smartphones offer:

The presence of an NFC module for making cashless payments, reading tags and quickly pairing with other devices (wireless speakers, headphones).
Support for 3G/4G networks for accessing the Internet from a mobile phone.
The presence of a slot for a memory card, which compensates for the small volume of the built-in storage.
Dual main camera module to follow trends.
2 slots for SIM cards.
A removable back cover, although not in all models.

Smartphones from the local Vertex brand: first in quality, first in features, first in design

Hi all! Today I will talk about the Russian smartphone brand Vertex. At first glance, it is one of many, many typical domestic electronics umbrella brands. At the end of two thousand tenths they appeared like toadstools after rain, offering a bunch of cheap gadgets from China with their logos. But Vertex can be classified as one of them only if you don’t dig deep and are guided only by first impressions and stereotypes of the level “Russian smartphone brands are still the same.” Vertex has a completely different kitchen, different guidelines and a fundamentally different approach to business.

So to speak, to attract attention - the budget rugged smartphone Vertex Impress Tor rests in a whole liter of intoxicating foamy drink.
For starters - a small but significant fact: after the crisis of 2014, when the ruble exchange rate against the dollar collapsed, all these local brands were pulled out surface of the Earth and went... under this very surface. Read - they died. Well, or they have reduced their activities to such a minimum that it is now ridiculous to talk about them. Texet, Explay, Prestigio, Highscreen and half a dozen other brands - all of them have actually merged from the market in one form or another. Or, as an option, they show very weak signs of life, read – they are in the stage of agony. Not so long ago, even such an old and well-deserved B-brand as Fly found itself at this stage - its activities today are reduced to a minimum.

Whether it’s Vertex – today it is the first local Russian smartphone brand in terms of sales volumes. Moreover, it has sixth place with a market share of around 4%: left behind are ZTE, Micromax, DEXP (a local brand of the DNS network, the shelf of which will sell absolutely everything at a humane price tag) and even Lenovo, Sony and HTC.

How Vertex became the first in all respects among local brands and does not survive

lives
very well - I’ll tell you below.

The first point that I would like to convey is that Vertex is primarily concerned with the product, and not with dubious activities around the brand. This is what I mean. In Russia there are half-living local brands that organize rock festivals. There are brands that sponsor sports teams. Still other brands hire ambassadors from pop, sports or film stars. And they spend some wild sums on all this. Pays for such marketing activities - right, right! – consumer. If some Ermolai Laskov becomes the face of the B-brand “X”, they will pay Ermolai Laskov a lot, a lot of money, and this very brand will no longer have enough funds to force the Chinese to further optimize the firmware of their smartphones. Or stick a couple of extra gigs of memory into them. Or upgrade the cameras.

What's the result? Crude, buggy devices, but they are promoted by football players and singers. Vertex doesn't do this. At Vertex, I repeat, I work on the product. And only to them.

How is it shown? For example, in the most stringent quality control in Chinese factories. Actually, Vertex is the first in quality among brands of budget smartphones. Vertex has an average defect rate of less than 2%. Is it a lot or a little? For Russian local brands, 5% of defects is considered a very good indicator, and most of these brands show 10-15%. It’s just that they practically do not monitor quality in any way (“Well, it’s expensive to send employees with whips to China, pay for their travel, accommodation, priestesses of love, food and force them to build the Chinese!”). But at Vertex they are watching.

The algorithm for creating products and their production is something like this (without small details and particulars):

The Vertex Chinese office receives at least four samples of smartphones from the Chinese factory. They are studied by specialists from the Chinese office of Vertex, a third-party auditing company (!) and specialists from the main office of Vertex (located in St. Petersburg). Some numbers: in the Chinese office of Vertex, about 30 people are involved in product quality control, with a total company staff of about 150 people.

The Vertex team, based on its research, compiles a list of shortcomings and suggestions for improving smartphones. All this is sent to a factory in China, which makes adjustments to the models.

Updated versions of smartphones are again arriving at Vertex offices - see point No. 1. If the shortcomings are not corrected (or not fully corrected), there is a return to point No. 2. If there are no more comments, then the Chinese factory is producing a test batch of Vertex smartphones. This batch is transferred to an independent laboratory, which evaluates the quality and reliability of the devices through comprehensive testing. If the laboratory finds no flaws, mass production of smartphones begins.

Production is constantly 100% controlled by Vertex representatives from Russia, which allows you to carefully monitor Chinese workers and anticipate the appearance of defects. Each batch of smartphones is additionally tested for defects by sampling 10% of the total production volume. Both Vertex specialists and third-party auditors participate in quality testing of this volume.

The batch goes to stores if random testing does not reveal a single case of defects.

So it turns out that Vertex is the first in quality among competitors among local brands. Less than 2% defective. Moreover: Vertex is the first not only among local budget smartphone brands - Vertex is also ahead of some A-brands. Not only the Chinese, but also, for example, the Japanese.

We've sorted out the quality, and it's time to move on to the second important feature of Vertex - attention to the exterior of smartphones. Yes, Vertex is the first in design among budget smartphone brands. Vertex's position regarding the appearance of devices is that budget smartphones, of course, cannot look the same as the most sophisticated flagships of world brands priced at 30-50 thousand rubles. At the same time, these budget smartphones should not be frankly faceless “bars of the cheapest plastic.” To put it bluntly, attractive design is not just for the rich.

As a result, almost every Vertex smartphone has some design-related feature. For example, Vertex Impress Calypso (sales start in December 2022) became the first B-brand smartphone with an 18:9 format screen - the most important trend in the smartphone market in 2017-2018. Previously, such screens were found only in smartphones priced at 20 thousand rubles, but here a similar option can be obtained for 7 thousand rubles. Moreover, the entire body (not just the screen) of the Vertex Impress Calypso has an oleophobic coating. This is necessary so that the smartphone does not become covered with fingerprints and does not cause disgust because of this, which is often the case with inexpensive models.

Vertex Impress Calypso
In general, the design feature of Vertex smartphones is that if you put several B-brand models on a table side by side, it will immediately be clear which model is Vertex. The brand's devices stand out against the background of the nondescript gray majority - sometimes by the aspect ratio of the screen, sometimes by the materials, sometimes by the quality of the plastic (see the oleophobic coating in the same Vertex Impress Calypso).

Well, the third important feature of the Vertex brand. Vertex is the first in technology and features. Vertex is the first in terms of technology and features in the “world” of budget smartphones. That is, devices costing a maximum of 7-10 thousand rubles, no more. In this segment it is much more difficult to experiment with body materials, cameras, screens, memory, chipsets - the room for maneuver for developers is very narrow. And it is extremely difficult to offer the market a truly interesting product that differs from its analogues. However, Vertex is the first local brand that regularly manages to do this. There are simply no pass-through models in his line - all his devices are at least in some way the first and the best. So to speak, with a twist and a twist. In order not to be unfounded, here are a few examples.

Vertex Impress Luck

– the first fully functional smartphone for 3,400 rubles. There were devices with such prices before, but we were talking about operator models with ridiculous characteristics, which, moreover, were locked through one of the networks of these same operators. Moreover, we are talking about the times (2012-2013) when 3 thousand and a few kopecks of rubles was 100 dollars. And now it's 50 dollars. Based on the results of the 2022 pre-New Year sales, Vertex Impress Luck became the best-selling smartphone from the MegaFon retail network, overtaking all iPhone and Samsung models.

Vertex Impress Luck
Smartphones Vertex Impress Tor

(9,000 rubles) and
Vertex Impress Grip
(12,000 rubles) are the first budget rugged smartphones with Qualcomm chipsets (USA). To understand: these chipsets provide really high-quality navigation, which is especially important for secure smartphones (their audience is tourists, travelers, etc.). Usually, cheap rugged smartphones from other brands have MediaTek (Taiwan) chipsets, which do not provide the proper quality of navigation - continuous glitches, loss of connection, errors, etc.

Vertex Impress Grip
Vertex Impress Tor

Additionally, it is the first budget protected smartphone in a case that, in terms of size and design, is practically no different from the cases of unprotected smartphones. Roughly speaking, here is the iPhone 8 - and it is an elegant device, but with protection. Here is Vertex Impress Tor too, but for the first time in the budget segment.

Vertex Impress Tor
Vertex Impress Frost

– the first budget (6,000 rubles) smartphone with NFC support. Enables contactless payment using Android Pay and, for example, viewing the number of trips on transport cards. Previously, smartphones with NFC cost from 10-12 thousand rubles and more.

» align=“center” /> Vertex Impress Frost
Vertex Impress Play

(11,000 rubles) - the first thin smartphone with a large 5,000 mAh battery. Its thickness is 8.9 mm. That is, this long-lasting smartphone with a very powerful battery is just as comfortable to use as a regular average device with a 2,500-3,000 mAh battery. The Vertex Impress Play doesn't feel thick or heavy; it's only 1-2mm thinner than current flagship iPhones and Samsungs.

Vertex Impress Play

Vertex Impress Nero

– the first budget frameless metal smartphone in Russia (6,000 rubles). That is, for the first time, a budget model combines two important design and technological trends at once: an 18:9 screen and metal. Usually smartphones with such price tags are either metal or have an 18:9 screen.

Vertex Impress Nero
So it turns out that Vertex stands on three pillars:

Vertex is the first in quality: the tank level is on average 2% versus 10-15% for all budget competitors;
Vertex is the first in design: there are no faceless devices in the brand’s line, all of them in one way or another stand out from their analogues and look as “delicious” as possible for their price;
Vertex is the first in terms of technology and features in the budget segment: all the brand’s models have one or another feature, and there are simply no walk-through devices in the line.

As a result, in terms of customer confidence, Vertex is also the first among local Russian brands and brands in general that offer inexpensive smartphones.
As I said at the very beginning, Vertex has the sixth place with a market share of around 4%. Left behind are HTC, ZTE, Micromax, DEXP, Lenovo and Sony. You can get acquainted with Vertex models here, and all questions about the Vertex brand, its products and other issues related to it - in the comments.

Cons of smartphones

For the offered price, the phones have no noticeable shortcomings. The disadvantages are rather subjective and are expressed in:

Outdated design, with wide bezels around the screen.
Budget, non-energy efficient processors that quickly drain the battery.
Battery capacity, which is not enough for a full day of use.

For unassuming users, we have collected the top Vertex smartphones, where everyone will find a device that can satisfy the basic needs of a “smart device”.

Vertex Impress Rosso NFC

Processor: MediaTek MT6739
Screen: 5.5 inches, 960*480
Memory: 1/8 GB
Camera: 8+0.3 MP, 5 MP
Battery: 2700 mAh

NFC technology is rapidly spreading around the world and today it is difficult to surprise anyone by paying for a purchase with a smartphone. It is interesting that despite the popularity of the technology, it is not found in every gadget and on average the price tag of devices with NFC starts from 15 thousand rubles, but there are exceptions. These include the new Vertex Impress Rosso. In terms of performance, the model turned out to be quite simple - a small amount of RAM and a weak quad-core chipset will not allow you to play, but will cope with other tasks. However, this is not the feature of the model.

The phone has a high-quality IPS matrix with an aspect ratio of 18:9, that is, the device looks quite modern. The gadget works in LTE networks and supports VoLTE. The drive is small, but under the removable cover there is a separate slot for memory cards up to 256 GB, there are also slots for SIM cards, you can install two of them. The gadget has 5 GHz Wi-Fi support, a finger scanner, and a dual rear camera. It is worth noting that a rare gadget with a similar price has the same set of capabilities.

Price – 6500 rubles.

Advantages:

NFC support
Separate memory card slot
VoLTE support
Finger scanner available
Work on a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network
Removable battery

Minuses:

Small battery capacity
Low RAM
Low screen resolution

Vertex Impress Grip

Processor: Snapdragon 410
Screen: 5 inches, 1280*720
Memory: 2/16 GB
Camera: 13 MP, 5 MP
Battery: 4400 mAh

The new Vertex Impress Grip is a model designed for active people. The gadget has a case protected from shock, dust and dirt, as well as an IP68 standard, which allows it to be safely underwater at a depth of up to 1.5 meters. The front panel is protected by Gorilla Glass. The device is designed for a long operating time, which is facilitated by a capacious battery.

The phone turned out to be small, which made it very ergonomic. The performance is pleasantly pleasing - a good quad-core processor with 2 GB of memory will cope with any everyday task and allow you to play undemanding games. The phone has GPS, Glonass and an eCompass electronic compass, which works in any conditions.

Price – 11,000 rubles.

Advantages:

High ergonomics
Protected housing
Powerful battery
Availability of electronic compass function
High quality camera

Minuses:

Small amount of main memory

Vertex Impress Play

Processor: MediaTek MTK6753
Screen: 5.5 inches, 1920*1080
Memory: 3/32 GB
Camera: 16 MP, 16 MP
Battery: 5000 mAh

The Vertex Impress Play smartphone is one of the most powerful and beautiful devices from the company. The main feature of the model is a capacious 5000 mAh battery with a small thickness of 8.9 mm. The device received a decent eight-core chipset and 3 GB of RAM. The body is plastic, but the frame is metal. Unlike many brand models, the back cover of this gadget is not removable, but the manufacturer did not deprive customers of the opportunity to use two SIM cards and a memory card. The removable carriage allows you to use everything at once.

A small but bright display with FHD resolution leaves a pleasant impression. Both cameras have a high resolution of 16 megapixels, which allows you to take high-quality photos and videos. The phone has a built-in finger scanner in the button on the front panel, as well as a face unlock feature. For ease of use, the phone has a proprietary Vertex Club service, which will provide access to numerous interesting applications, company news, provides the opportunity to receive updates via the cloud, but most importantly, take advantage of advice from company specialists directly through the application.

Price – 9000 rubles.

Advantages:

High resolution display
Capacious battery
Branded services
Powerful processor
Large amount of RAM and main memory
Face unlock
Quality cameras

Minuses:

No NFC
No fast charging

Vertex Impress New

Processor: MediaTek MT6737
Screen: 5.5 inches, 1920*1080
Memory: 1/16 GB
Camera: 13+0.3 MP, 5+0.3 MP
Battery: 3500 mAh

Among the best Vertex gadgets, the model with four cameras looks interesting. The device has a small diagonal with FHD resolution and good image quality. The model boasts good autonomy, which is provided by a capacious 3500 mAh battery, while the battery is removable, which makes it possible to replace it if necessary.

The device is designed to work with two SIM cards and has a dedicated slot for adding memory up to 128 GB. The phone has a fingerprint scanner, which guarantees the safety of user data. There is support for 5 GHz Wi-Fi and VoLTE calls. The device is available in four colors - graphite, gold, blue and black.

Price – 6000 rubles.

Advantages:

High screen resolution
Separate memory card slot
VoLTE support
Finger scanner available
Work on a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network
Removable battery
Dual camera front and back
High screen resolution

Minuses:

Weak processor
Low RAM

Vertex Impress Cube

Processor: MediaTek MT6739
Screen: 6 inches, 1440*720
Memory: 2/16 GB
Camera: 13+0.3 MP, 8 MP
Battery: 3800 mAh

Cube is a model with a large display and a very beautiful appearance. In contrast to numerous smartphones with rounded corners and smooth curves, the FullView model from Vertex has stricter outlines and corners. The elongated display provides a large, beautiful picture. A quad-core processor with 2 GB of memory will ensure comfortable surfing and high-definition video playback.

The device received a dual rear camera and a high-quality front model, according to reviews. We are pleased with the capacious 3800 mAh battery and support for NFC, as well as a finger scanner. An interesting feature of the smartphone is its own Vertex Club service, which offers many interesting applications, including “Smart Storage”. It automatically syncs photos and videos from your phone's memory to the cloud and deletes them from your device after 90 days, ensuring you always have free space. This is very important considering that the phone’s native storage is quite small. The model will appeal to all those who want to buy a large and inexpensive smartphone with NFC and a pleasant appearance.

Price – 7500 rubles.

Advantages:

Large display
Finger scanner available
Capacious battery
NFC availability
Branded services
Interesting design

Minuses:

Low screen resolution